#475 Chris St. Hilaire- Multi-instrumentalist, Songwriter, Producer and More!
The photo of Chris was taken by Larry Niehues.
This week’s guest is Chris St. Hilaire! Chris is a Trinidadian-American multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and producer based in New York City (Lenapehoking). An in-demand touring and studio musician, Chris has toured the world with artists such as Sinkane and Doyle Bramhall II, and in 2022 became a member of The Black Keys’ touring band. In primetime television, Chris has been featured on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Later…with Jools Holland, and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert alongside The Black Keys.
As a founding member of The London Souls, St. Hilaire’s standout musicianship and singing earned him critical acclaim on the band’s two studio albums, and over decade of performances in North America, Europe, and Asia, sharing stages with The Who, Paul McCartney, Lenny Kravitz, and The Roots, among many others.
In the studio, Chris St. Hilaire is a sought after session musician, with notable performances on records by Dan Auerbach, Eric Krasno, CeeLo Green, Marcus King, and Johanna Warren.
Born in a suburb of New York City and raised between between New York, Trinidad, and Antigua, Chris St. Hilaire grew up in a multicultural world. Largely self-taught, beginning with drums, his Caribbean roots showed in his rhythmic sensibilities. St. Hilaire got his musical start drumming along with cassette tapes of Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, and The Meters – inspired also by his musical father, who toured as Chubby Checker’s guitarist and introduced St. Hilaire to songwriting. Shortly after moving to NYC as a teenager, he began gigging professionally.
As a solo artist, Chris St. Hilaire released his full-length debut titled Enspirited on October 9, 2023 – an intensely scored manifesto, composed of Trinidadian-inspired percussion, steelpan, synthesizers, strings, and woodwinds. All songwriting, production, and engineering on the album was completed by St. Hilaire himself. Caribbean Beat highlighted the album as “deceptively unique,” referring to the lyricism as possessing “a subtle cynicism and hyperbolic hopefulness”. All proceeds from Enspirited have gone towards the Manna-hatta Fund, which promotes Indigenous heritage and social services in NYC.
Chris has also released three EPs to his name: Knowledge of Self (2019), B.C. (2021), and Traveling Man (2022); all of which were also written, recorded, and produced by St. Hilaire. In 2021, Bandcamp selected B.C. (“Black Christ”) as part of its “New and Notable” selections, while Djolo called the album “explosive and dark”. St. Hilaire’s music has also been featured on screen – “Up All Night” was featured in the Sundance Film Festival-selected How It Ends (directed by Daryl Wein and Zoe Lister-Jones) and in the sober living comedy Sweet Dreams (starring Johnny Knoxville), while “Unify” was featured in Showtime’s hit political documentary series The Circus.
In 2024, Chris teamed up with Trinidadian songwriter, dub poet, and educator Raga to create Tell Dem, a full-length album of reggae, dub poetry, and dub compositions co-written, engineered, and produced by St. Hilaire.
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday to Greg Hersey! Greg Hersey is a percussionist and educational artist based out of Jacksonville Florida. Greg currently serves as the Director of Instrumental Music at Episcopal School of Jacksonville, cultivating successful middle and high school ensembles. He inspires students to strive for excellence and to become passionate, dedicated musicians. Greg Hersey is a graduate of the University of North Florida School of Music and holds a Master's degree in Percussion Performance. He has studied with renowned instructors Charlotte Mabrey, Kevin Garry, Danny Gottlieb, and Benjamin Wiseman. Greg has competed in the Guitar Center Drum Off and was 1 of 30 semi-finalists nationwide, representing the southeast region.
In addition to being a full-time educator, Greg works as a freelance percussionist in the Jacksonville area and surrounding communities. He actively performs for musical theater productions, BayKings International Band, orchestras, and various schools as a guest clinician. He offers private drum set and percussion instruction to students locally, nationally, and internationally. Greg has been featured in several full-length podcasts such as Drumeogab, Big Fat Five, Drummersilike, and Sit-Down Saturday. Greg Hersey is an artist for Yurt Rock music library, offering original percussion sounds and loops for professional music producers and engineers. His strong social media presence with now over 250k followers has provided a plethora of musical opportunities and international recognition. Greg is immensely grateful to be in partnership with various companies and families; Vic Firth, Zildjian Cymbals, Evans Drumheads, Ludwig Drums, TNR Products, Big Fat Snare Drum, Rustic Percussion, DrumDial, and RimRiser.
Happy Birthday to J. J. Johnson! Growing up in San Antonio and Austin, TX, JJ Johnson has built a tremendous reputation as a masterful drummer with his polyrhythmic grooves and pin-dropping dynamics coupled with his thunderous power and intensity. He has backed some of music’s most talented artists such as Tedeschi-Trucks Band, John Mayer, Lenny Kravitz, Sugarland, Doyle Bramhall II, Boz Scaggs and many others.
"You've got to put the work and time in, to be armed and prepared, Being in position is being in any position. Then, also doing it with feeling, and learning from it. Those are important principles for me. The camaraderie of a unit on tour and the energy of playing for a live audience is incredibly special. When the lights go down and everyone hits the stage, it brings you to life and reminds you what you’re here to do.”
JJ currently resides in Austin, TX and is endorsed by Gretch Drums, Zildjian Cymbals, Vic Firth sticks, Remo drumheads and DW Hardware.
Happy Birthday to Nick Costa! Nick is a National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) educator based out of Philadelphia, the Commerical Music content representative for the PA Music Educators Association (PMEA), the Vice-President of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the Percussive Arts Society, and a member of the Percussive Arts Society’s Drum Set Committee. He is also an independent drummer, clinician, and drum technician with both national and international touring experience. Nick has focused on providing ways to integrate drum set studies into K-12 Music curriculum, and is an active session musician engineering and recording drum tracks remotely from his studio.
As an educator, Nick has focused on providing ways to integrate drum set studies into k-12 music curriculum to bridge the gap between general and instrumental music studies. He has also played a pivotal role in integrating “Modern Band” curriculum for the School District of Philadelphia by creating relationships with Conn-Selmer, Zildjian Cymbals, Vic Firth Sticks, Remo Heads to outsource all 220 schools with drum sets. The School District of Philadelphia’s music education model is what motivated the Pennsylvania Department of Education to create and implement “Modern Band” into the State’s music curriculum. Nick is assisting with drum set content as the curriculum is implemented throughout the state of Pennsylvania. Additionally, Nick has written and recorded lessons for Modern Drummer Magazine, MusicProfessor.com, Zildjian, and the Percussive Arts Society’s Rhythm!Scene blog.“
As a performer, Nick is actively performing throughout the Philadelphia region with various groups ranging from rock, to jazz trios and big bands, to being a first call musician for local theater groups and schools for their annual musicals. Nick was also a candidate for the Mamma Mia and Green Day’s American Idiot National Broadway Tours. Currently, Nick has been active as a session musician recording and engineering drum tracks remotely for various artists including Shane Henderson (Valencia), and MAHANA (Iranian Pop star on NAVAHANG records)
Nick teaches privately, has facilitated workshops teaching underprivileged kids about music, and has been praised by numerous producers including Mike Watts (The Dear Hunter, Story of the Year) Steve Haigler (Brand New’s Deja Entendu, Fuel’s Sunburn, The Pixies), Jason Elgin (Collective Soul, Terrible Things), Fred Mascherino (Taking Back Sunday, The Color Fred), John Naclerio (Brand New, My Chemical Romance) and Eric Plesha (Cobra Starship, Valencia) for his consistency and energy while recording.
Nick is an educational artist for Ludwig Drums, Vic Firth Sticks, Zildjian Cymbals, Remo drumheads, Gator Cases, Canopus Drums (accessories), and Prologix Percussion. Additionally, Nick proudly endorses GoPro.
Happy Birthday to Scott Amendola! Scott, the drummer, composer and bandleader who’s been a creative force on the Bay Area jazz scene (and far beyond) for the past three decades, knows all about the power of subtraction. His new stripped-down trio SticklerPhonics brings together long-time collaborators Raffi Garabedian on tenor saxophone and trombonist Danny Lubin-Laden, NewYork-seasoned improvisers who’ve worked together since their formative years in the vaunted Berkeley High Jazz Band, circa 2003.
The trio has plunged into the unmediated terrain that opens up in the absence of the usual guidelines,“a situation where there’s no bass and no chords,” Amendola said. “The sound is ever evolving.We’re really settling in, but there’s also the feeling like there are places to go. We’ve been adding my electronics and Danny bringing in a little looper. We’re just getting started.”
With all three players contributing original compositions, SticklerPhonics is a volatile combo that can draw on a vast continuum of jazz practices, from traditional jazz polyphony and ambient soundscapes to funk and free jazz.Amendola, who first gained national attention in the Grammy-nominated three-guitar and drums band T.J.Kirk, has a deep well of experience in unusual instrumental settings.His long-running duo with Hammond B-3organist Wil Blades got its start when they developed an impressively detailed version of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn’s late masterpiece Far East Suite.
There aren’t many models to follow for SticklerPhonics, though Barondown with tenor saxophonist Ellery Eskelin and trombonist Steve Swell is a major source of inspiration. “Scott hipped me to that group,” said Garabedian. “It’s fun to be in this almost uncomfortable situation. You need melody, rhythm,and harmony, and the challenge is how can you successfully get all that with what you’re working with.”
Graduates to the New School who have both released ambitious albums of their own, Garadedian and Lubin-Laden co-led Brass Magic, a stylistically omnivorous, horn-laden band that melded funk and rock, R&B and an array of international brass band idioms. Their deep connection on and off the bandstand informs the music of SticklerPhonics, which continues to calibrate different approaches for various spaces.
“We had this chemistry right awayas teenagers,” Lubin-Laden said.“It seems like Scott is in a very similar place to us musically. SticklerPhonics feels very exposed, but there’s this freedom in being able to accompany each other when we take solos.And Scott is the miracle glue for the whole thing. He’s such a force of nature as a drummer.
”Born in New Jersey and long based in Berkeley, Amendola has woven a dense and far-reaching web of bandstand relationships that tie him to leading artists in jazz, blues, rock, new music and beyond.A creative catalyst as a bandleader, composer, and accompanist, he’s collaborated closely with artists such as guitarists Nels Cline, Jeff Parker, John Schott and Charlie Hunter, organist Wil Blades, violinists Jenny Scheinman and Regina Carter, saxophonists Larry Ochs and Phillip Greenlief, and clarinetist Ben Goldberg, players who’ve all forged singular paths within and beyond the realm of jazz. He’s led or co-led some two dozen albums and contributed to more than 100 recordings.
A Berkeley native now living in Oakland,Lubin-Laden studied with Art Baron, Alan Ferber, Lee Konitz and Ambrose Akinmusirie at the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music. In addition to SticklerPhonics,he performs in a wide array of settings, including the Jackie McLean repertory band JACKNIFE, Oakland R&B legend Johnny Talbot and DeThangs, the Electric Squeezebox Orchestra, and Brass Magic, the stylistically encompassing ensemble he co-led with Raffi Garabedian. Healso leads his own projects.
Born and raised in Berkeley, Garabedian studied with jazz heavyweights such as Tony Malaby, Mark Turner, Chris Cheek, Bill McHenry and Andrew Cyrille at the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music.He’s recorded and performed with a variety of artists, including Jorge Rossy, Ben Street,Dayna Stephens, and R&B innovatorJohnny Talbot. He can be found playing around the Bay Area with the ElectricSqueezebox Orchestra and leading his own quartet and octet, and also performs with his brother, New York bassist Noah Garabedian.
Happy Birthday to Dani Markham! Dani was born in Louisville, Kentucky, where she began playing percussion at the age of 8 in the Fabulous Leopard Percussionists (now known as the Louisville Leopard Percussionists,) under the direction of Diane Downs. Dani excelled in music during these elementary years and began studying privately at the age of 9. While in the Leopards, Dani performed at PASIC several consecutive years and also took 2nd place in the PAS International Marimba competition in 2003.
In 2000, Dani was featured along side hip-hop phenomenon Jay-Z's current drummer, Tony Royster, Jr., by the Percussive Marketing Council in their campaign to showcase young drum phenoms.
In 2005, Dani received the Bertha-Foster full-tuition scholarship to attend the University of Miami, studying under the direction of Dr. Ney Rosauro. During these years, Dani was invited and played in Kagoshima, Japan for the International Youth Asian Arts Festival. Dani also pursued her strong interests in Classic music and attended Chautaqua Music Festival in New York, and expanded her studies in Brazilian, Latin, and Jazz performance studying with heavy players, Ruben Alvarez, Richie Bravo, and Ted Atkatz.
Dani recently moved to San Francisco where she looks forward to continuing her love and passion for music. "Everyday is a constant exploration of creativity and sounds." Dani enjoys the rhythm and chops of being a percussionist, and is appreciated for her captivating energy and charisma. She is known for her dedication to music and appreciated for her ability to execute. On top of her performance career, Dani has spent a lot of time in the studio, and most recently has been working with well-known producer, Jack Splash.
Since 2003, Dani has been teaching privately and currently has a private studio based out of Miami where she takes on a handful of her own students. From 2007 to the present, Dani taught marching band at Ars Nova and Killian High School in Florida, percussion class at the South Beach Arts Music Institute, and teaches Latin drumming at the Louisville Leopard Percussionists Summer Camp in Louisville, Kentucky.
Happy Birthday to Henry Cole! Henry has performed with acclaimed jazz groups, including the Grammy-nominated Miguel Zenón Quartet ,Grammy winner David Sánchez, The Gary Burton Quartet, Quincy Jone’s Global Gumbo, Alfredo Rodriguez Trio, The Ben Wendel Quartet and the all-star quartet “90 Miles” featuring Sánchez, Stefon Harris and Nicholas Payton. He has also recorded and performed with Chambao, Calle13, Residente and Draco Rosa.
Happy Birthday to Kit Chatham! Kit is an internationally recognized percussionist, performer, composer, arranger, and educator. Kit’s experience in many forms of percussion, including drum set, world percussion, orchestral percussion, and marching percussion, makes him a highly sought after performer & clinician and create a percussive sound that is uniquely his own.
Kit has been a Drummer/Percussionist, Bandleader, and Artist Coach for Cirque du Soliel since 2005. He currently is the Drummer/Percussionist for Cirque du Soleil’s newest show in collaboration with Disney called Drawn to Life. Kit has enjoyed performing throughout the world and in front of millions of spectators with other Cirque du Soleil productions: KURIOS (2014-2019), Kooza (2013-2014), Zumanity (2012-2013), Mystere (2012-2013), Viva Elvis (2009-2012), and Corteo (2005-2009). Kit has been the original Percussionist/Drummer and helped to create his characters for Drawn to Life, KURIOS, Viva Elvis, and Corteo. In over 7000+ shows with Cirque, Kit has not missed a single show. He is known in Cirque circles as the “Cirque du-rummer” because of his performances in seven different Cirque du Soleil productions
Before joining Cirque du Soleil, Kit completed an exciting run from 2003 to 2004 as the featured percussionist soloist and music/percussion manager for the critically acclaimed instrumental theatrical show, CYBERJAM, in London, England’s West End. From 2001 to 2003, he was the featured snare drum/percussion soloist with the Tony and Emmy Award-winning Broadway show, BLAST!, which toured the United States, Canada, and Japan.
Kit has performed with numerous bands and ensembles and toured throughout North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. He has arranged, composed, and designed for some of the world’s top music ensembles and organizations. These include Cirque du Soleil, SmartMusic, Finale, the University of Georgia, London’s Royal Military Academy, the University of Tennessee, Crossmen Drum & Bugle Corp, Terminus Percussion Theatre, Atlanta Quest, Odyssey Percussion Theatre, and many scholastic groups throughout North America, Europe, and Japan. He has made television appearances on The Late Late Show with James Corden, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Late Show with David Letterman, The Miss Universe Pageant, The Today Show, Regis and Kelly, CNN, PBS, the BBC London, among others.
When he is not performing with Cirque du Soleil, Kit continues his involvement with the global music community. Kit also runs his own recording studio and music production company, TikBeats, and is a music producer/casting consultant for both Cirque du Soleil and Walt Disney International. He has published six books on percussion and is co-creator of The Principal Percussion Series for Percussion. Kit continues giving in-person private lessons to aspiring percussionists in the Orlando area.
Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, Kit received his bachelor’s degree in Music Education from The University of Georgia, where he studied percussion with Dr. Thomas McCutchen and Dr. Arvin Scott. While at Georgia, he instructed, composed, and arranged for the UGA Redcoat Band, played in numerous music ensembles, and toured Europe at many prestigious jazz festivals like the legendary Le Montreux Jazz Festival, the Jazz à Vienne Festival, and the North Seas Jazz Festival with the University jazz ensemble. Kit received his master’s degree in Music Technology from Southern Utah University in Cedar City, Utah.
Kit continues giving clinics and masterclasses on percussion around the world and is a proud endorser of Vic Firth Sticks & Mallets, Yamaha Drums & Percussion, Zildjian Cymbals, Evans Drumheads, and Alternate Mode (DrumKat).
Gig Alerts
The 4th Annual Zildjian Jam is happening at Tipitina’s in New Orleans, LA in the middle of Jazz Fest on Tuesday April, 28th.
The Summerfest has announced the lineup for the festival taking place in Milwaukee, WI from June 18th-20th, June 25th-27th, and July 2nd-4th.
Damon Grant will be playing percussion with David Ryan Harris and his All-Star Band in a farewell concert to the current location of the Hotel Cafe (before it moves to its new and larger location) on Saturday March, 14th. More info and tickets AVAILABLE HERE. Doors at 6:30pm/Show at 7:00pm PST.
Educational Spotlight
There are more upcoming days of percussion for the month of February (and beyond).
Vic Firth is having a summer Institute of percussion at the University of Maine from May 31st-June 6th. Friends of the show Mike Compitello (Episode #126, Episode #245, and Episode #466) and Keith Aleo will be two of the instructor/clinicians.
New Releases
There are some new releases. Starting with Chris’s new album, “Praise and Blame” which is talked about later in the episode.
Ryan Scott’s new album is “21st-Century Canadian Snare Drum”
Toninato & Thiessen’s new album is “Dream of Heat”
Portland Percussion Group’s new album is “Patterns & Form”
This is the Black History Month Playlist Damon mentions in the episode.
Iconic Recording
Chris picked the iconic recording for the week. It is Marvin Gaye’s “Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)” from the album ‘What’s Going On’. The Funk Brothers played on most of the album and you can read more of the personnel HERE.
Music News
Immediately following the news of California’s proposed Fans First Act, support rolls in from Live Nation and industry allies, including NIVA and the Music Artists Coalition. -Article
Live Music Society is now opening applications for its fourth annual Music in Action grant; the foundation has given over $5 million to small venues since 2020.-Article
Damon mentions how the Super Bowl stage was built in 7-9min. You can watch a timelapse of the whole show too.
For the cultural relevance CLICK HERE. For the musical history, CLICK HERE.
Shout-out to friends of the show, Roland Garcia, Lilliana De Los Reyes, and Kahlil Cummings for participating in the halftime show. Shout-out to friend of the show Kristen Klehr for contracting some of the strings.
Here’s how the halftime show got started.
A major music mogul was in the Epstein files.
Chris St. Hilaire Interview
The song leading into the interview is, “Spirit of Carnival” from the ‘Praise and Blame’ album.
Chris resides in Brooklyn, NY.
Chris starts by talking about his new album. He mentions some of the special guests including friend of the show, Weedie Braimah.
You can get the new album ON BANDCAMP.
Chris mentions Tassa and Damon mentions friend of the show, Lenny Kumar.
Chris talks about the different styles of music on Trinidad and Tobago as well as some other islands like Chutney and Parang.
Chris talks about mixing with Venezuela which is only 8 miles away.
Chris’s dad was a musician. He talks about his parents moving to NYC from Trinidad.
Shout-out to pan player Odie Gonzales and his arrangements.
Chris was an athlete till about 8th grade when he switched to drums.
Chris explains the difference between Dub (Reggae) and Dubstep (dance).
Damon talks about DJ Kool Hurc.
Damon and Chris talk about playing the bass drum in different ways.
Chris also talks about his approach with The Black Keys.
Shout-out to friend of the show, J.J. Johnson.
Chris talks about playing other instruments and his approach on them, like guitar.
Chris talks about Tassa drumming.
Chris talks about learning the Riq. He also talks about the Stick Fighting.
Chris reflects on when he was in the band Sinkane out of Brooklyn.
Chris talks about Sudan. Damon mentions issues in the USA currently. Chris also mentions how politics creep into music and art creation.
Chris talks about why he is not on social media.
Chris chooses the iconic recording for the week.
The invitation to Bobbye Hall to be on the podcast is still open!
Chris talks about visiting Hitsville U.S.A.
Shout-out to J.J. Johnson, Odie Gonzales, and Deep Singh.
You can follow Chris on his Website.
The song leading out of the interview is “Election Picong” from the ‘Praise and Blame’ album.
